Instant Pot Dal Makhani with pot-in-pot brown rice is an easy and delicious one-pot meal. This dal is also popularly known as Madras Lentils. This restaurant-style Dal Makhani made in the instant pot is rich, creamy, and flavorful. It goes really well with basmati rice and naan.
Dal Makhani is one of the most popular Punjabi dals. Interestingly, it is very similar to the Madras Lentils you might have tasted at Costco. Most people order this dal when in an Indian restaurant. This was my favorite dal when growing up, and it still is.
Authentic Dal Makhani is usually slow-cooked, which can take hours. However, I have used the Instant Pot to prepare it as a one-pot meal in 50 minutes, most of which is passive time.
Want to find other easy Instant Pot Indian Recipes? Here are 29 Instant Pot Indian Vegetarian Recipes for you to try!
Table of Contents
- Watch How to Make Instant Pot Dal Makhani
- What is Dal Makhani?
- How to make Dal Makhani in Instant Pot?
- How to get the reddish color for Dal Makhani?
- Instant Pot Madras Lentils
- Dal Makhani with Pot-in-Pot Brown Rice
- Vegan Dal Makhani
- Can I use canned kidney beans when making Dal Makhani?
- Pro-Tips
- What to Serve with Dal Makhani?
- More Instant Pot Indian Recipes You’ll Love
- Instant Pot Dal Makhani (Madras Lentils) Recipe
Watch How to Make Instant Pot Dal Makhani
What is Dal Makhani?
Dal makhani is a dish from the Punjab region in the Indian subcontinent. You will also find many people referring to this dal as Black Dal or Kaali Dal.
As the name suggests, this dal is prepared with butter, known as “makhan” in Hindi. So Dal Makhani translates to “buttery lentils.”
Dal Makhani is traditionally made with whole black urad dal and rajma (kidney beans) cooked in aromatics, tomatoes, and spices. This dal is made luscious with the generous addition of butter and cream.
Curious about pulses used in Indian cooking? Check out my detailed guide about Indian Pulses.
How to make Dal Makhani in Instant Pot?
Here, I’m sharing the steps for making one-pot Dal Makhani in the Instant Pot. Usually, it’s hard to make this dal on a weeknight, as it takes a long time to cook on the stovetop. However, with the Instant Pot and this almost hands-off method, you can enjoy this dal on a weeknight.
- Start by soaking the lentils and beans in ample water for 8 hours or overnight. Soaking is mainly required for the kidney beans, but I find it easier to soak them all together.
- When ready to cook, heat the Instant Pot in saute mode. Add butter and let it melt. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Then, add the onions and sauté for a few minutes until they turn golden.
- Add the tomatoes and spices and saute for 3 minutes.
- Now, drain the soaking water and transfer the lentils or beans to the Instant Pot. Add the water for cooking and give it all a good stir. That is all the active work required for this recipe.
- Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high pressure. I usually use the bean/chili mode. The pressure cook mode works the same way, just set the cooking time as mentioned in the recipe card.
- After the pressure cooking is done, open the lid and give a good stir. Dal Makhani is ready. If needed, add hot water to get the desired consistency.
- Stir in the cream if using and garnish the dal with chopped cilantro leaves.
You can also top with more butter to enhance the taste (and calories) 🙂
How to get the reddish color for Dal Makhani?
My mom likes to get the perfect reddish color similar to restaurant-style dal makhani. Here is the trick I learnt from her to get that perfect reddish color.
Soak 2-3 Kashmiri red chilies for 30 minutes. Then, grind them to a paste with some water and add them when you add the tomatoes. You’ll love the color and the added flavor of the Kashmiri chili. I do this in my Pav Bhaji recipe, too.
Kashmiri chilies are very mild, so they will not make the dal too spicy. Do skip the chili powder in the recipe if you go this route.
Instant Pot Madras Lentils
I could not find much history for the name Madras Lentils. However, the Tasty Bite brand, available at Costco and other major grocery chains, has undoubtedly made this a popular dish. Let’s see the differences between Dal Makhani and Madras lentils.
- The ingredients listed on the Tasty Bite Madras Lentils pack are Water, Tomato, Lentils, Red Beans, Onions, Cream, Butter, Salt, Oil, Chilies, and Cumin.
- My understanding is that they use adzuki beans (also known as chori in Hindi) in place of black gram lentils.
- The spices used are much fewer, only cumin and chili. So it is milder than Dal Makhani.
Other than that, I don’t see any differences. You can follow the same recipe below with adzuki beans and adjust the spices to make the popular Madras Lentils. I have also shared the adzuki bean curry, called red chori dal, if you want to give that a try.
Dal Makhani with Pot-in-Pot Brown Rice
One of the significant advantages of the Instant Pot is the option for Pot-in-Pot Cooking, or PIP. This means being able to cook multiple things at a time by also cooking in a small pot inside the main pot. For pot-in-pot cooking, you need a tall trivet and stainless steel containers that you can use within the main pot.
Another critical thing to consider with pot-in-pot cooking is the cooking time for the dishes you want to cook together. For example, Dal Makhani takes about 30 minutes to cook at high pressure, and brown rice takes around 22-25 minutes at high pressure. Hence, if I add brown rice pot-in-pot with beans, they will cook well.
I wouldn’t cook white rice with Dal Makhani; however, it would work well with dal tadka, which cooks in 6-8 minutes at high pressure.
Learn more about the instant pot pot-in-pot method with this comprehensive guide!
Once you’ve added all the ingredients for Dal Makhani to the instant pot, place the trivet and then the bowl of brown rice with water. This way, they will both cook together. Enjoy the meal!
This restaurant-style Dal Makhani is creamy and full of flavor. It would be a great addition to your next party or potluck.
The best part is that you can prepare it the day before, and it tastes even better the next day. Just before serving, heat it well, and top with some butter and cream. And you are good to go!
Fun Fact: Below is the original picture I clicked for this recipe when I created it in 2017. Since then, I have updated this recipe and added new photos.
Vegan Dal Makhani
Most of the ingredients in this Dal Makhani are already vegan, except for the butter and cream (if you choose to add them). To make this dal vegan, simply replace the butter with your favorite plant-based oil or vegan butter and use coconut milk or cashew cream instead of dairy cream at the end.
Can I use canned kidney beans when making Dal Makhani?
Technically, you can use canned kidney beans; however, since they are pre-cooked, you need to add them at the end and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
I feel there is no advantage to using canned kidney beans in this recipe, as it does not help cut the cooking time. You will still want to cook the dal for the same amount of time to get the perfect creamy texture. So, why not save some money and use dry kidney beans?
Pro-Tips
Soaking: Soak the Dal and Beans to get the best texture.
Add that butter: Don’t skimp on adding butter or ghee.
Vegan: To make this recipe vegan, skip the butter and use your preferred oil instead.
Make it creamy: This dal is super creamy, even without added cream. Top with cream or cashew cream when serving!
Whole Spices: I kept this recipe simple and did not add any whole spices. You can add a bay leaf and 3-4 cardamom pods if you like, along with the cumin seeds.
Leftovers: This Dal Makhani is even more delicious the next day, making it perfect for meal prep. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If you’d like to keep it longer, freeze it in small portions in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat it in the microwave or a pan on the stovetop. You might need to add a splash of water to adjust the consistency. This dal thickens as it cools.
Kasoori Methi: I don’t add kasoori methi as my mom doesn’t. If you like, crush 1 tablespoon of dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and add them to the dal after it has finished pressure cooking.
Mom’s tip: This dal is a bit harder to digest, so she recommends adding a pinch of hing (asafoetida) and some carom seeds when cooking it.
What to Serve with Dal Makhani?
Dal Makhani tastes excellent with a variety of Indian sides. It pairs well with basmati rice or jeera rice. For bread lovers, garlic naan, roti, or paratha make excellent choices. You can find naan at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods in the frozen section.
More Instant Pot Indian Recipes You’ll Love
Instant Pot Dal Makhani (Madras Lentils)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup Black gram lentils (Sabut Urad Dal), rinsed and soaked for 4 hours or overnight
- 1/4 cup Red Kidney Beans (Rajma)
- 2 tablespoon Butter or Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1/2 tablespoon Ginger, freshly grated
- 1/2 tablespoon Garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup Yellow Onion, finely diced
- 2 Tomato, medium, finely diced or pureed, or use 1/2 cup store-bought tomato puree
- 3 cup Water, for cooking
- 3 tablespoon Cream , optional
- Cilantro, to garnish
Spices
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, adjust quantity if using other chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)
- 1 teaspoon Salt, adjust to taste
For Brown Rice
- 1 cup Brown Rice, rinsed
- 1 1/4 cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or Oil, optional
- 1 teaspoon Salt, optional
Instructions
- Wash and rinse urad dal and rajma in a large bowl. Soak overnight in 3 cups of water.
- Start the pressure cooker in saute mode and let it heat. Add oil and cumin seeds.
- When the cumin seeds change color, add onions, ginger and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and spices. Stir and saute for another 3 minutes.
- Drain the water from the soaked lentils and beans. Add them to the instant pot. Add 3 cups of water for cooking and give it a stir.
- (optional) In a steel bowl, add the ingredients for brown rice. Please a tall trivet and the bowl of rice on top of the trivet.
- Press cancel and close the lid with the vent in the sealing position. Change the instant pot setting to bean/chili mode, which will set the timer to 30 minutes on high pressure cooking.
- When the instant pot beeps, do a natural pressure release. Open the lid.
- (optional) Using tongs, carefully take out the bowl of brown rice. Then take out the trivet.
- Stir the dal well, and if using, add the cream. If needed, add hot water to get the desired consistency. If you like, add more salt or garam masala to taste.
- Garnish with cilantro. Dal Makhani is ready to be served.
I have MDH Dal Makhani Masala at home that I would like to use. Can you recommend how I can use that while following the rest of this recipe?
Hi Sanch – Sure, you can skip the spices (except salt), and replace with 1 tbsp dal makhani masala in this recipe. I hope you enjoy the dal!
Made as written in the IP and this was wonderful, it got high praise from my friend who had a taste and pronounced that it was just as she would make at home.
It froze very well too.
Hi Jeniffer – That’s fantastic to hear! Thanks for sharing it back. 👍😊
Hi Meeta,
I have made this now multiple times and every time it turns out awesome. This is our family’s favorite comfort food.
Just a quick question. Do you sauté everything on medium heat level or high. I tend to burn everything on high. Just wanted to know if it is just me 😀burning things. I usually have to remove the pot to let it cool and then add the next spice, to avoid burning.
Hi Shrut – I usually do saute on medium heat in the instant pot. So happy to hear you have been enjoying the dal.
Is it possible to make this dish on the stovetop in a pot?
Hi Kayli – You can make it on the stovetop in a pot. However, it will just take quite long to soften the lentils and beans. I would recommend first adding the (soaked and drained) lentils and beans to a pot with 4 cups of water and some salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer to low flame. Cover the pot and cook for about an hour or until the lentils and beans are cooked. They should smash between your fingers easily. After this, follow the recipe to make the tempering, and add the cooked lentils and beans. You will need to add just about 1 cup of water. Boil for 10-15 minutes after adding the lentils and water. Add some cream if you like. Then the dal is ready to enjoy!
Hi there ! I need to make triple this recipe. Do you think that will fit in the 8 qt. Instapot ?
Hi Komal – Yes, I do think it will fit 3x the recipe in a 8qt instant pot.
Excellent flavor and easy to follow instructions.
Mine came out too watery, but perhaps because I soaked the beans 18 hours. I reduced it using the saute function on the IP.
Again, excellent flavor. Thanks for your recipes!
Hi Jenn – Happy to hear you enjoyed the dal. Glad you could thicken the dal by using the saute function.
Hi, can I use split urad dal to make this? Do you know what I should change the cooking time to? Thank you 😊
Hi Shristi – You can make this with split urad dal, however it would cook much faster. I would say about 7-8 minutes of pressure cooking time. Hope you enjoy the dal!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful food and the work you put into creating this site. I’ve been with you for years and have never been disappointed. Can this be made with any type of lentil? I have brown in the cupboard and an unsure what to do with them. Also have you ever done a post on must have pantry items? I’m sure you must have…. Thanks again!
Thank you, Toni. Here is the brown lentil recipe – https://pipingpotcurry.com/brown-lentil-masoor-dal-instant-pot/
I have a post for Indian spices and Pulses. Hope you find these useful.
I love your recipes. Thanks for all of you work. For the Kashmiri red chilis, do you include the seeds when soaking, or remove the seeds first?
Hi Kevin – I soak the kashmiri chili with the seeds. This chili is less spicy, so it works. However do adjust if you are using another type of chili pepper.
Can this same Pot in pot metod be used for basmati jeera rice and raw chick peas to make chole?
Hi NC – Sure, you can use the same method for brown basmati rice along with chana masala from soaked chickpeas. Typically chana masala will take 30 minutes of pressure cooking time, this would work well with brown basmati. I would not suggest to use white rice, as it needs much less cooking time, and will get overcooked.
Can you add canned kidney beans instead?
Hi Payal – Sure, you can use canned kidney beans. I would suggest to add them after pressure cooking the dal. Then add the beans, and saute for 3-4 minutes until the dal comes to a boil.
Has anyone tried freezing this?
Hi Emma – Yes, this dal will freeze well. Let is cool completely, and freeze in small portion sizes. You can freeze up to 4 months.